MANCHESTER UNITED have all but given up hope of finishing top of the table in the Champions League, but Phil Jones has warned their City rivals the ­complete opposite applies in the Premier League.

Phil Jones is left mortified after he deflects Nicolas Gaitan’s cross into his own net []

England defender Jones scored his first senior goal on Tuesday night against Benfica.

Unfortunately, it was in the wrong net and the 2-2 draw all but ended United’s hopes of topping Group C and avoiding, in all probability, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan or Bayern Munich, should they reach the knockout stages.

A point in Basle next month should be enough to clinch second spot but, in the meantime, Jones and the rest of the team are focused on overhauling the five-point lead Manchester City have built over them on the domestic front.

Jones is on a steep learning curve following his £16.5million summer move from Blackburn and will take the misfortune of an untimely own-goal in his stride.

He has had to cope with learning how to play international and European football in just a few months, but now he can concentrate 100 per cent on picking up league points.

It will be nice to be there at the top of the table by the end of the year and we can achieve that.

Phil Jones

“This is why I joined Manchester United – internationals, the Champions League, the competitions they are in. They are always up there every year fighting for that title and I hope we can retain it this season,” he said.

“No game is easy in the Premier League, we know that. But I am sure if we prepare right and apply ourselves right, we can pick up a lot of points over the next few weeks.

“City have done fantastically this season, but they have got some tough games coming up. It will be nice to be there at the top of the table by the end of the year and we can achieve that. But that said, I don’t think it is essential. So don’t be writing us off if we are not there by January. It is a long season with a lot of games and I don’t care how good you are, teams can be put under pressure.”

Certainly the pressure on Jones has been immense as he has been asked to play out of position for both club and country, despite being a teenager with less than 50 club games under his belt.

Furthermore, comparisons made by England manager Fabio Capello with Franco Baresi and Fernando Hierro, coupled with Sir Alex Ferguson’s assertion that he is like a young Duncan Edwards, have done little to lighten the burden of expectation.

Jones, though, is remaining focused on the task at hand. “It is nice to be compared to people like that but I just keep my head down and keep putting in the performances that I do,” he said.

“Hopefully, if I keep playing well for Manchester United, pick up points and get to the top of that table, I can keep getting in the England squad.”

He knows that to prove that he is the best, he has to compete with the best for club and country.

He showed against Spain that he is not afraid of the toughest test international football has to offer and, thanks to United’s stumbling Champions League campaign, he could soon get a taste of the very top tier of European football.

He said: “If we play Barcelona or Real Madrid it is just another game. They are two fantastic teams in the Champions League with world-class players, but they are only human and I’m sure we can turn up and give them a good game.

“In international football, the tempo and build-up is a lot slower. But it is fantastic to play in, representing your country. I really enjoyed those games against Spain and Sweden. At club level the tempo is a lot higher and you can’t switch off.

“And from what I have experienced, you can’t switch off for one second in the Champions League either, or you get punished – as we have seen against Benfica on Tuesday night.

“As for the Basle game, we are in the Champions League and against opponents who deserve to be there. So we know they are no mugs.

“But we have more than enough quality in our side to go to Basle and get all three points. I’m sure if we prepare right we will do that.”